Prepositions of manner
(Using English prepositions of manner and means)
Table of contents – prepositions of manner and means
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What are the prepositions of manner in English?
Another class of prepositions is that of manner and means. The most common words in this context are ‘by, with’, and ‘without’. Compare their possible uses in English grammar:
- The prepositions ‘with’ and ‘without’ appear reasonably frequently:
- “First I couldn’t believe it, but then I saw it with my own eyes.”
- “It was, without doubt, the most beautiful ring she’d ever seen.”
- “Her granddad is 89 years old and walks with a stick.”
- The same applies to ‘by’, which is required for types of communication, in general for means of transport, and the passive voice:
- “You can send us your CV by email.”
- “I always go to work by car.”
- “All the books on that shelf were written by the same author.”
- In contrast, ‘in’ is merely used in few cases as a preposition of manner. However, if it occurs, then usually with languages or how something is spoken or written:
- “Helge wrote the letter in Swedish.”
- “And then, she answered in a soft voice.”
- “That dress would look fantastic in blue.”
- “Sorry, I can’t help you now. I’m in a hurry.”
Further explanations related to the ‘Prepositions of manner’
The following explanations relate to the topic ‘Using prepositions of manner and means in English grammar’ and could also be helpful:
